Exploring Washington DC and beyond

Last summer, I attended The Taming of theShrewat Shakespeare’s Globe theater. The all-women cast did an excellent job, but the storyline is not my favorite of the Shakespeare plays. I would love to see Much Ado About Nothing but it’s not playing until April 2014. In any case, I was thrilled to see a play with fantastic actors at the iconic Globe theater.

Shakespeare’s Globe is a fabulous building with an interesting history. It’s located a few hundred yards from its original site. The building itself is as true to the original as they could surmise since there was next to nothing left of the original. The rebuilding of the Globe came about through the efforts of the American actor and director Sam Wanamaker. He founded the Shakespeare’s Globe Trust which reconstructed the theater. The foundation is also responsible for the education center and permanent exhibition. Thanks to Sam Wanamaker, there’s a beautiful and historic theater in a fabulous location (Bankside) in London.

Globe Theater and the Millennium bridge
Audience at the Globe TheaterEven if you don’t get a chance to see a play there, go for a tour.

Borough Marketis about a 5-minute walk from the Globe Theater. Borough Market has become so popular and hectic at peak times (weekends/lunch). But if you go early, it’ll be less of a crush. It’s recommended in all the travel guidebooks and there’s a reason for that ~ it’s a fantastic market.

Variety of Mushrooms

Bright colorful peppers for sale

Fish at the Market

Cheesemonger

Gorgeous flowers for sale year-round

Flowers in the Market

Coffee Lover’s Favorite place in the market

The Market Porter pub always looked so inviting when I went by it but then one day a group of us decided to go in and the stench of urine was overwhelming. We just looked at each other and walked out. I was so disappointed. I still love the look of it from the outside.

The Rake Pub is a pub I’ve walked past many, many times and every time I would read the extensive beer selection on the sign outside. I seem to always say “next time” but we ended up leaving London before I made good on next time. The Rake is known as the smallest pub in London and, because it’s in busy Borough Market, I won’t be going on a Friday or Saturday night when it will be bustling with way too many people. Best to check it out in the afternoon while sitting outdoors watching the market-goers go by. They have 130 beers available ~ the Flying Dog K9 Cruiser looks like the one for me.